The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-26
Srecia1 Contributors.
HOW TO HANDLE A WRITTEN SER
MON.
BY REV. L. J. UIEsMORE.
Columbus, Wis.,

While the writer was at Lombard
University on recent occasion, it was
his privilege to speak several times to
the students of the theological depart
ment on topics of professional impor-
tance and utility. An extempore talk
was in the line of the above subject,
and this is written out and given to a
larger audience, at the request of one
who feels deeply the Importance of the
theme to the general ministry of the
church.
The first thought emphasized at that
time, was the necessity Of purpose to
the sermon. 1t must mean something;
must have purpose and look to an OBJ
jective point. This might seem very
trite and commonplace. And yet it is
precisely here that many sermons go to
pieces. This is the rock on which is
wrecked, not only the sermon, but too
often the church and the preacher.
If the preacher comes to the prepara-
tion of his sermon with strong spir-
itual purpose; if he says to himself
and heartily feels it, there is truth
that this people deeply need, and / must
give. 1t to them with all the power and
the earnestness that can command,
osI am fnlee ID myself and to my God z z
5lleh Che sermon Is nobly begun.
The theme must be great; that is it
must be something that takes strong
hold on the heart and the mind Of the
preacher, or he cannot do his best. No
great sermon was ever preached on a
small theme. If, by chance, the real
preacher lights on such a theme, he
speedily reads into it such large and
noble and inspiring meaning, that he
makes it great. And in saying this, it
is not meant that the topic should be
profound and philosophical, fit only for
the powers of thought that are sup
posed to be monopolized by college pres
idents and learned doctors of divinity.
The greatest themes are the simplest,
and the most influential preachers have
always loved to take for the topics of
the sermons those things that lie near
est the common daily life of the world.
There is afforded the most room for the
display of the noblest and most touch
ing pulpit eloquence. Given great sub
ject and it's careful and painstaking
elaboration into the sermon, with the
the preacher possessed and overwhelmed
by it, we are ready to think of it as a
completed production, written, it may
be, on the whitest of paper with the
blackest of ink.
Now, is it all that remains, that the
preacher shall take this into the pulpit
Sunday morning, and read it, as one
would read the latest market reports, or
the last grand effort of Orator Puff in
Congress ? All ! that is the bane Of
the written sermon. The preacher reads
his sermon-he does not preach it =
no, he does not even read it as it should
be read. if it is worth hearing at all.
The sermon is his master, and not his
servant to the accomplishment of a
great and useful purpose. Who has
not seen that saddest of all spectacles,
II had almost written mockery,) man
standing in the pulpit, and reading in
an inexpensive and unimpassioned
voice, something before him that is
called by courtesy sermon On it his
eyes are fastened from the text to the
amen-never lifted to catch inspira-
tion from the kindling countenances of
those to whom the strong and earnest
preaching of the gospel is as the breath
of life. Sometimes, he may, perhaps,
be seen tracing the lines of the writing
with one finger, leaving the other to do
all the mechanical and soulless gestur-
ing. And as the unsympathetic voice
rolls along from sentence to sentence
in the dull monotone, until the impo-
tent conclusion is reached, the wonder
grows that not so few, but so many
people attend church. No sermon can
be preached in any such way and be
productive of the least good. And
those who are going on in this way, so
lame and halt, year after year, doing, if
the truth must be spoken, not their
best but their worst work, should be
aroused to the fact that in so doing,
they are not only impaiTing their own
usefulness, but are doing much to lessen